Starlite, Starbrite
by Starberry
Summary: The stars shine down on Hyrule... as Link's heart breaks.


Starlite, Starbrite…  
  
The stars twinkled in the deep, lushious black night as a lone rider galloped through the open fields of Hyrule, his horse's hooves kicking up a flurry of dusty, dried grass. A gentle breeze ruffled the horse's moonlit black mane making it wave about behind it's long, golden brown neck. The stranger whistled a pleasant tune as he road, the sound of it echoing in the deep solemn of the sky against the darkened grounds. He patted the horse's neck lightly as it slowed to a halt at three roads crossing in a curving pattern. A sigh escaped his lips.  
  
The road he was on now was where he had come from, Kokiri Villiage. He felt his pocket lightly, his fingers gently tracing the light instrument it held.  
  
"Saria…"   
  
His voice was low and shallow, it seemed to dance on the light of the breeze that fluttered about his golden locks of hair. He knew he would never go back that way.   
  
The road to the left of him would lead to the lake and the deserts, a place he had been and was not needed anymore. All of the evil had gone from Hyrule on this dark, sacred night. He knew there was only one way to go.  
  
And that was to the castle.  
  
With a light nudge of his padded brown boots, the horse galloped lightly onto the draw bridge, the chains clanking lightly from a new weight. The guard posted there nodded to him in recognition, his metal armor clanking with the movement of his head. The stranger nodded back, his golden hair catching the light of the moon.  
  
The horse trotted through the deserted town. Lights played tag on every curtain as the flames behind them fluttered lightly in the cool zephyr. A smile lit on the stranger's face as he turned away from the village to face his new destiny at Hyrule Castle.  
  
He was greeted in a friendly manner from all of the guards as he made his way to the draw bridge that lead to the castle. He dis-mounted, his legs shaky. With a gentle pat he tied the horse up to a small tree. Wrapping the long, wiry rope around the soft, lustrous fur of the animal was very new to him, but he knew it was for the best.  
  
"Wish me luck, Epona," he whispered as he left the horse's side.   
  
His footsteps echoed in the vacant halls of the castle. Sweat was apparent on the neck of the stranger, his fist was clenched. He stopped suddenly in his tracks, his eyes sparkling with light.  
  
"Princess?" he whispered into the silence of the hall. Her back was toward him.  
  
She turned around, her blond hair dancing on her shoulders as she jumped in shock.  
  
"Link?"   
  
The young man's name stung him like needles when she spoke it. He only wished he could tell her…  
  
"Yes, it is I."  
  
Princess Zelda stood there, her skirt gently stirring around her porceline ankles, her blue eyes dancing with firelight from the sun. Link could barely speak in her presence. Her beauty was over- powering.  
  
"Why have you come?" she asked, looking down at her small hands. Link swallowed hard.  
  
"I…I…" he studdered, trying to find the words to tell her how he felt inside. How he could hardly bare to live without her. How much he loved her.  
  
"You what?"  
  
Her voice was not cold, but of concern. Link could tell it in her eyes, she had no feelings for him anymore. Those days had gone.  
  
"I wanted to…" Link said, wanting to reach out to her… to hold her…  
  
"I love you Zelda," he whispered, his voice low and almost unheard. The princess shook as tears flowed from her eyes.   
  
Did he know how much she loved him back? How much she needed him? How much she wanted it to be possible for them to be together…?  
  
"Link…"  
  
"Please, Zelda just listen…" he requested, stepping toward her. She moved back, her hands quivering violently at her sides.  
  
"You were gone for so long. I…I can't love you now, Link. I cannot."  
  
The words hit him like bullets. He could barely stand up, he wanted to collapse with all of the pain… His eyes flooded with tears.  
  
He could not stay there, not with her. He bowed in solemn respect and walked somberly out of the hall, his legs shaking, his eyes watering.  
  
Zelda watched him go, the pain stinging her insides like knives were being thrust into her stomach. She ran toward the courtyard where she had been when she met him for the first time… he loved her…  
  
"Why me?" she called out to the unrelenting sky, the stars twinkling brightly upon her skin. She fell to the ground weeping.  
  
Link made it out of the village, keeping his face solemn. When he got outside, he called out silent wails to the bright, silvery moon. He fell to the ground, the dry grass scratching his face, the dust collecting in his reddened eyes. He lowered his forehead to the ground, letting the tears flow from his eyes in to the grass.  
  
"Why?" he asked, talking to the sky. It's beauty shone upon him as he cried. He stopped at looked up at the stars, glimmering in all of their majesty.  
  
"How can the sky twinkle in beauty such as this," he asked, looking at the stars, "when my heart is dying inside?"  
  
Above the silent land of Hyrule, the stars sparkled and danced in the light of the silvery moon.  
  
{*.*} Starberry 


End file.
